Praesidium Called To Protect™ 

Praesidium's Called to Protect series presents abuse prevention information to parents, children, youth and young adults.

Called To Protect™ is a multi-media training program created by Praesidium, a national leader in abuse risk management with more than two decades of experience providing research-based educational programs to organizations.

The complete Called To Protect ™ series includes four parts, including the first-ever program specifically for Catholic middle- and high-school aged youth, and an innovative program for elementary-aged children based on the latest child development research. Praesidium experts carefully developed the content and conducted extensive nationwide field testing to ensure that each part is informative, well-received and effective.

Called To Protect ™ for Parents and Families, teaches parents what they must know to protect their own children. They learn what to watch for and the actions to take if they see something of concern. They also learn how to begin communicating with their own children about their bodies and how to keep them safe.

Called To Protect ™ for Youth teaches middle and high-school aged kids about boundaries, how to respond if someone tries to violate their boundaries, and how to tell their parents if they or their friend have been abused.

Called To Protect ™ for Young Children teaches age appropriate information to children in elementary school. They learn rules about protecting their bodies and what to do if someone tries to break the rules. The content and teaching methods use the latest child development research to ensure their effectiveness. 

In the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, Called To Protect ™ does NOT replace the Virtus training program. We will continue to implement and track the training of staff and volunteers who work with children through the VIRTUS live training sessions and database. Praesidium will complement these efforts by providing an educational opportunity for parents and by reaching into the schools and the religious education programs to teach the children directly, and help inform the parents on issues of safety for their children.

Please join us in praying that this supplemental program will be effective as another measure of our commitment to safeguard the dignity and safety of all children.